Former NBA World Champion Trent Tucker To Advocate for Child Nutrition

MINNEAPOLIS, April 18, 2018 – Former Minnesota Gopher and NBA basketball player Trent Tucker will fulfill a passion and work to reduce hunger among Minnesota’s children. He is joining Hunger Impact Partners (HIP) and will be a spokesman and advocate for nutrition programs available for children from low-income households throughout the state.

“It’s heartbreaking when I see a child who doesn’t have enough food,” Tucker said. “I’m eager to work with Hunger Impact Partners on behalf of children and teens to make sure they get the nutrition they need to perform at their best — academically, physically, mentally and artistically.”

Tucker will be involved in a host of activities to support HIP’s goal to increase children’s participation in meals programs, including narrating public service announcements and online videos, speaking at community meetings, engaging youth and fundraising.

“Trent will be a champion of children and work to engage others in the community,” said Ellie Lucas, CEO of HIP, a nonprofit that focuses on children from birth to age 18. “He will also help raise the necessary funding to make sure our community programs receive the support they need to feed our children on a sustainable basis.

“We are very excited to have Trent as part of our team. His passion, his experience and his knowledge of the community will be invaluable.”

Tucker played basketball at the University of Minnesota where the Gophers won a Big Ten championship in 1982. He was drafted 6th overall by the New York Knicks and played for 11 years in the NBA, winning an NBA title with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in 1993.

He returned to the U of M to finish his college degree 24 years after he left. Tucker worked at the University for several years and most recently worked at the Minneapolis Public Schools as its District Athletic Director.

He was a broadcaster for Minnesota Timberwolves games and the Big Ten network. He is currently a studio analyst for the Minnesota High School Tournament basketball games and has a weekly show on KFAN radio.